Plot: While ostensibly on vacation with his wife and twelve children, famed detective Charlie Chan visits a circus at just the right time to become involved in the murder of one of the circus owners. Chan is prevailed upon to travel with the circus in hopes of discovering the killer before he, she - or it - strikes again.

Tags: animal handler, ape, character name in title, charlie chan, chinese american, circus, cobra, contortionist, family, father son relationship, man in drag, midget, murder, police, police detective, private detective, pullman berth, railroad train setting, secret marriage, sideshow, snake, strangler, train, trapeze artist, unknown killer, show all tags.